As certain kinds of chemotherapy carry a lifelong risk of heart failure, the researchers noted: "The higher rate of new HF in our results might therefore be an indication of this higher risk of developing HF, possibly triggered by the AMI."

Some prior studies from cancer survivors in the U.S. suggested lower likelihood of preventive care, including cholesterol screening and flu shots, than other patients, and lower likelihood of appropriate follow-up for heart failure as well. Medicare data linked to pharmacy assistance programs and cancer registries looking at secondary prevention of acute MI in cancer survivors suggested more got statins and beta-blockers, but fewer had bypass surgery.

In the AMIS Plus registry, use of beta-blockers and aspirin as well as receipt of coronary artery bypass grafting were statistically similar between groups by cancer history.

The prospective Swiss registry of patients with acute coronary syndrome included 35,249 acute MI patients at 83 hospitals in Switzerland that voluntarily contributed data from 2002 through mid-2015. Among them, 1,981 had a history of cancer. They were matched to controls in the registry based on age, ST-segment elevation MI, body mass index, hypertension, diabetes, and smoking.

Limitations included lack of data on type of tumor, stage, and type of cancer treatment -- all of which could impact MI treatment and survival and should be further studied, according to the researchers. "Furthermore, we were not able to take into account various factors (such as a history of venous thromboembolic disease, infection, hemorrhagic risk or advanced global impairment), which might differ between AMI patients with and without a history of cancer and lead to different disease management decisions for both groups of patients."

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